Match Pictures | Matches: 2025 – 2026
Trivia
- KO: 7.45pm Friday, Celtic TV only
- First friendly of the new season.
- 15 youngsters in the squad tonight.
- Lisbon Lion & Celtic great John Clark passed away, aged 84. RIP. His funeral was earlier done this day.
- Kieran Tierney signed back to Celtic.
- Hayato Inamura signs from Albirex Niigata, for a nominal fee of £~250k.
- Benjamin Nygren joined on for an undisclosed fee from Nordsjaelland (est €1.5m/£1.3m).
- Celtic have earned a place among the financial heavyweights of European football, securing the eighth spot in Off The Pitch’s respected annual rankings of the continent’s most financially stable clubs This marks the first time Celtic have broken into the top 10 of the prestigious list, which evaluates long-term financial sustainability.
- SFA opened disciplinary proceedings against three clubs – Celtic, Aberdeen & Partick Thistle – over use of pyrotechnics at matches at end of last season.
- Ex-Celt Frimpong signed by Liverpool for €35m. Celtic to get sell on amount.
- Lagerbielke returns from loan as FC Twente decided not to take him back.
- Partick Thistle appoint Ex-Celt Mark Wilson as their new head coach.
- Sevco: San Francisco 49ers owners and Andrew Cavenegh complete takeover.
- First pro contracts for a few young players: Michael Charlton, Conor Daly, Liam Kennedy.
- Reports: Slovan Bratislava striker David Strelec’s agent says no concrete offer from Celtic.
- Oskar Fallenius scouted by Celtic.
- Andy Irvine from West Ham. Evan Ferguson from Brighton.
- Luis Palma, Gustaf Lagerbielke, Stephen Welsh, Hyeok-kyu Kwon, Maik Nawrocki & Marco Tilio expected to move on.
- Japanese left back Keita Kosugi. Reported bid for Red Star Belgrade defender Veljko Milosavljevic rejected.
- Fenerbahce, Newcastle & Brentford interest in Maeda.
- Stephen Welsh target for K.V. Mechelen.
- Peterborough full-back Harley Mills, 19, is a target, and Celtic put a bid in.
- Celtic revisiting Bojan Miovski pursuit.
- Celtic-linked Youssef El Kachati says confident of big-money move from Telstar.
- Atalanta after Engels.
- Celtic have rejected a £500,000 bid from Bolton for Johnny Kenny.
- PAOK official 2yr deal offer with further year option to out-of-contract Greg Taylor. Copenhagen also interested.
- Maik Nawrocki loan to Pogon Szczecin.
- Brentford, RB Leipzig, Como in for Kuhn. Kuhn to Como for €19m (£~16.5m)?
- Kyogo rumour to return, but expected to move to Birmingham City!
- Fulham forward Callum Osmand.
- Royal Antwerp winger Michel-Ange Balikwisha is mentioned again.
- £50,000 deal for 17-year-old Morton defender Isaac English
- Initial approach rejected for Ecuador winger Nilson Angulo.
- Reopened talks over a potential deal for Sarpsborg winger Sondre Ørjasæter
- Ex-Celt Ajer to return from Brentford?
- Benjamin Nygren a midfielder from Nordsjaelland.
- Celtic in three club race for Beşiktaş star Demir Ege Tiknaz’s signature.
- Japanese defender Hayato Inamura, who is currently playing for Albirex Niigata.
- Rekindled interest in Sevilla & Nigeria forward Kelechi Iheanacho, who opted to join Middlesbrough on loan in Jan instead of switch to Celtic.
- Kwon to Austria Wien.
- Celtic are among several overseas clubs looking closely at 25-year-old £1.5m-rated Kawasaki Frontale striker Shin Yamada.
- PSV Eindhoven are now ahead of Celtic and Lille in the queue to sign Sarpsborg winger Sondre Orjasaeter.
- SC Braga have bid €2m (£1.7m) for Gustaf Lagerbielke with negotiations ongoing
- Polish side Legia Warsaw enquired on Hyunjun Yang.
- Hayato Inamura on the way rumoured £250k. He could be a scouting master stroke or inexpensive punt we shall soon find out.
- Celtic to face Ajax and hosts Como in a summer tournament. Also to play Sporting Lisbon away in a friendly.
- Out on Loan Marco Tilio won the Aussie A-League Grand Final with Melbourne City. In talks to extend loan for another year, but Rodgers reported to be willing to gjve him a chance in preseason.
- preparing a bid for 22-year-old Liverpool midfielder Tyler Morton, who is valued at £15m, amid competition from other clubs.
- European Cup: PSG win the European Cup, 5-0 v Inter Milan.
- Dundee appoint ex-Celt Steven Pressley as new manager.
- Ex Celtic manager Postecoglou sacked as Spurs manager.
- Sevco appoint Russell Martin as their new manager.
- Paulo Bernardo starred as Portugal thrashed Poland 5-0, scoring 4th goal in his 30th U21 appearance, that equaled Manuel Fernandes’ 2008 record.
- Transfer window opens
- Transfers in: Kieran Tierney (free from Arsenal, 27 May 2025); Ross Doohan, has signed for the club on a three-year deal. Isaac English from Morton; Benjamin Nygren undisclosed fee from Nordsjaelland (est €1.5/£1.3m); Callum Osmand development fee from Fulham; Hayato Inamura from Albirex Niigata fee £~250k;
- Transfers out: Scott Bain released on a free, moved to Falkirk; Daniel Cummings (£300k, pre-contract signed last Jan with West Ham); Joey Dawson (free to Scunthorpe); Matt Anderson to KV Kortrijk (Belgium, Free);
- Shaun Maloney set to return to Celtic as professional player pathway manager, succeeding Darren O’Dea who departed the role for Swansea.
- Ex-Celt Leigh Griffiths has signed for Stirling Macedonia Lions in the National Premier Leagues Western Australia (NPL WA).
- For fifth season running Celtic B to take part in the Lowland League for season 2025/26 .
- Sevco fan Andrew Watt who threw a Buckfast bottle at Celtic’s goalkeeper during a game v Sevco jailed for eight months.
- Another Sevco fan who threw a coin that struck Arne Engels on the head banned from attending any football matches for 5 years.
- Liverpool fc: Diogo Jota, Liverpool and Portugal footballer, dies aged 28 in car crash. RIP
- Music: Oasis play in their first gig on same evening in a comeback in a generation.
Summary
First game of the new season, albeit a friendly and really mostly a reserve team game! Anyhow, only one goal seperated the teams but little should be taken from this, gave the younger players a chance to shine, with mixed responses.
Johnny Kenny scored the goal from a dominant Celtic, but reports are that likely he may move on soon although an approach has been rejected so far.
RonanCFC of KDS:
Summers was good second half. Looked far ahead in his development as you’d expect given his relative experience.
Was more impressed by Hatton on the wing in the second half than I was Jude Bonnar in the first. Very direct, looked to have a bit of pace and almost scored that screamer. Bonnar had a couple decent crosses but got it took off him too easily and was lacking in the press a few times.
Donovan at RB looked a big strong guy and willing runner. Kenny worked really hard.
Queen’s Park brought very little.
Teams
Celtic
(First half XI): Doohan, Donovan, Murray, Trusty, Montgomery, McGregor, McCowan, Engels, Bonnar, Kenny, Frame.
(Second-half XI): Doohan (Clarke 63), Summers, McPherson, Robertson, Ure, McArdle, Hatton, Turley (Daly 74), Welsh, Kyle, Isiguzo.
Goals: Kenny 20
Queen’s Park
Ferrie, Fieldson, Murray, Fox, Longridge, Ruth, Connolly, Pignatiello, Fowler, Bradley, Burke.
Subs: Wills, Sliwinski, MacGregor, Carrick, McDonnell, McGinlay, Scott, Sowa, Collie, Drozd.
Stadium: The City Stadium, Glasgow
Ref: –
Att: 898
Full names:
Ross Doohan, Colby Donovan, Dane Murray, Auston Trusty, Adam Montgomery, Callum McGregor, Luke McCowan, Arne Engels, Bonnar, Jonny Kenny, Mitchel Frame.
Josh Clarke, Ben Summers, Ben McPherson, Mitchell Robertson, Kyle Ure, Sean McArdle, Thomas Hatton, Francis Turley, Conor Daly, Stephen Welsh, Andrew Kyle, Samuel Isiguzo
Articles
- Match Report (see below)
Pictures
Match Links
Articles
New Celtic signings watch win,
https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/scottish-premiership/latest-premiership-news/celtic-land-narrow-win-testimonial-man-misses-penalty-hearts-prevail-in-spain-friendly-round-up-5210236
By Mark Atkinson
Sports Editor
0Comments
Published 4th Jul 2025, 21:45 BST
Updated 4th Jul 2025, 21:57 BST
Celtic posted a 1-0 victory over Queen’s Park in their first pre-season match of the new campaign.
Manager Brendan Rodgers fielded two different teams in each half at the City Stadium against their Glasgow rivals, with captain Callum McGregor, midfielders Arne Engels and Luke McCowan plus centre-half Auston Trusty the only recognisable first-team players in the squad.
That quartet played the first half, in which young Irish striker Johnny Kenny fired the visitors ahead from close range against their Championship opponents in the 19th minute.
Goalkeeper Ross Doohan made his first appearance for Celtic since returning to the club from Aberdeen earlier in the summer and he played 63 minutes of the match.
An interested spectator at Lesser Hampden was Japanese defender Hayato Inamura, who earlier in the day completed his transfer from Albirex Niigata in his homeland. Inamura, who can play left-back and centre-half, has penned a four-year deal with Celtic. New striker Callum Osmand was also in attendance.
At Rugby Park, Kilmarnock were the victors against near rivals Ayr United in Rory McKenzie’s testimonial.
Celts kick off pre-season with victory over Queen’s Park
https://www.celticfc.com/news/2025/july/04/celts-kick-off-pre-season-with-victory-over-queen-s-park/
First Team
By Daylin Docherty
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04 Jul 2025, 9:45 pm
Pre-Season Friendly
Friday, July 4, 2025
The City Stadium, Glasgow
QUEEN’S PARK…0
CELTIC…1
(Kenny 20)
Celtic returned to action for the first time since May with a composed and dominant display at the City Stadium, opening their pre-season campaign with a 1-0 win over Queen’s Park courtesy of a first-half goal from Johnny Kenny.
Brendan Rodgers’ side had a blend of first-team experience and emerging Academy talent in the starting XI, and from the outset, the Hoops controlled possession and imposed their rhythm.
Dane Murray had the first real chance on 10 minutes, heading wide from an excellent Arne Engels corner. The Belgian midfielder, dictating play in the centre, then went close himself with a curling effort just off target.
Moments later, Jude Bonnar’s clever cut-back flashed through the box, and Kenny was a constant threat, leading the line with energy. At the other end, Ross Doohan comfortably dealt with Queen’s Park’s first attempt – a long-range effort from Jamie Bradley.
Celtic’s deserved breakthrough came on 20 minutes. A scuffed shot from Adam Montgomery fell kindly to Mitchel Frame, who cut the ball back for Johnny Kenny to fire into the roof of the net from close range.
The Bhoys kept pressing for a second. Auston Trusty’s header from a Luke McCowan cross was cleared off the line by Charlie Fox, while Jude Bonnar’s back-post header flew just wide as the champions continued to dominate.
As planned, the manager made sweeping changes at the break, introducing a full new outfield XI, with Ross Doohan the only player to remain. It gave an opportunity to a number of Academy prospects including Thomas Hatton, Francis Turley and Samuel Isiguzo.
Hatton came closest early in the second half with a powerful strike tipped on to the crossbar by Callum Ferrie, before Turley drove narrowly wide with a low effort.
Ben Summers, lively down the left, created another big chance with a clipped cross for Isiguzo, who couldn’t direct his header on target. Josh Clarke then replaced Doohan in goal just after the hour mark.
Celtic’s best late opportunity came after fine build-up from substitute Conor Daly, with Hatton’s pass running through to Isiguzo, but Ferrie made another fine stop to deny the Hoops a second.
It was a strong opening to pre-season for the returning champions, who now turn their attention to further preparations at Lennoxtown ahead of Monday’s trip to Ireland to face Cork City on Tuesday night.
CELTIC
(First half XI): Doohan, Donovan, Murray, Trusty, Montgomery, McGregor, McCowan, Engels, Bonnar, Kenny, Frame.
(Second-half XI): Doohan (Clarke 63), Summers, McPherson, Robertson, Ure, McArdle, Hatton, Turley (Daly 74), Welsh, Kyle, Isiguzo.